Potato-digging machine



F. W. GRUNDEL.

POTATO DIGGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15; I918.

- 1,333,485. Patented Mar. 9,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- F. w. GRUNDEL;

POTATO DIGGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION EILED JUNE 15' 1918.

1,333,485. Patented Mar. 9,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I Ma -x rad 1 F. W. GRUNDEL.

POTATO DIGGING MACHINE.

APPLICATIQN man JUNE :5. 191a.

Patented Mar. 9,1920.

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Specification of Letters Patent. P te ted Mar. 9,1920.

Application filed June 15, 1918.- Serial No. 240,142.

I To all whom it may concern.

Be 1t known that I, FREDERICK V. Gaun- DEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gypsum, in the county of Eagle and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato 7 Digging Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in potato digging machines and it is the'prin cipal object of the invention to provide a machine for digging and removing potatoes from the soil and then conveying thesame into an assorting means whereby the potatoes can be separated and graded according to their size.

Another and equally important object of the invention is toprovide the machine with means for interrupting the passage of potatoes from the conveying means to the assorting means whereby to prevent the waste of the same when the-discharge chute is disalined from the asserting means during the turning of the machine. I

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. 1

The improvements in the details and arrangement of parts will be apparent from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in connection with the specific description hereinafter contained andwherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed for the purpose of imparting a full understanding thereof.

In the drawings: V Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, r

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section therethrough, v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged. fragmentary detail, partly in-section, showing the connection between the digging. machine and the asserting means, 7

Fig. i is a detail in section through the discharge chute showing the arrangement of the chute for controlling the passage of potatoes therefrom, Fig. 5 is a top plan view of tho-same, Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail, partly in section through the means for connecting the digging machine and the asserting means, and

Fig. 7 is a similar view taken at substan-v tially right angles to the Fig. 6.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection with which like reference characters will designate corre sponding parts throughout the several views,

1 represents the frame of the machine, thesaine, obviously, having an axle .2 arranged transversely thereof and secured to the under side of the same, on which wheels 3 V are mounted for an-obvious purpose. Sccured to thelower end of the inclined por tion of the frame 1 is an arm having a draft pole, tongue or other form of -draft connection 5 pivoted to its free end and carrying anadjusting lever 6', which lever has suitable connection with the drawbar. 5

whereby to adjust the same vertically to vary the engagement of the'digg'ing means, hereinafter described, with-the soil.

An'endl'ess conveyer, 7 isarranged longis tudinally of a portion of the frame 1 and as will be noted, has its opposite ends arranged about pulleys 8 fournaled in bearings formed in the frame 1, said. conveyer being pro-r vided with a plurality of fingers 9, which fingers serve to engage and move the potatoes removed ffromthe 'soil thereonto. Rotary motion is imparted to the endless conveyer 7 bymeans of a sprocket chain, which as will be noted, has one end arranged about sprocket wheel secured to the axle 52 while the remaining end is arranged about an idler sprocket wheel .9 secured to one end of a shaft journaled in hearings in the frame 1 and meshing with a sprocket wheel 8 secured to one end of the shaft carrying the pulley 8. Obviously, by interposing the idler'sprocket wheel 8, the transmission of rotary motion to the pulley 8 from the sprocket chain will be reversed and consequently, the conveyer 7 will be moved in a,

direction such as will-permit the engaging of thepotatoes removed from the soilby the digging elements, hereinafter described. A second sprocket chain c is provided and has one end arranged about the sprocket wheel 8 while the remaining end is arranged about a sprocket wheel 13 carried on one end of the shaft 'journaled in suitable bearings and having connection with a sub stantially upright conveying means, hereinafter more fully described. 1 Supported at a point adjacent'the upper or rear end of'the endlessconveyer 7 on a portionof the frame 1 is a trough 10, which as will be noted, receives the lower end of an endless conveyer 11. carrying a plurality of buckets 12 therein. This conveyer, 11 is mounted on substantially upright sides 13 fastened at their arms 29, which arms as will be noted, are

lower ends in a suitable manner tothe adjacent portions of the sides of the frame 1 and carrying a chute 14 on the upper end thereof, whereby to receive the potatoes from the buckets on the endless conveyor and direct the same; into the potato assortlilig by t is.

the trough l0.

To regulate or control the passage of potatoes from the discharge chute 14 into the potato assorting machine 15, a gate 17 is pivoted in the chute 1.4 at a point in proximity to the outer' endther'eof, carrying an apertured arm 18 on its upper mar-- ginal portion, which arm has engagement with one end of a contractile spring 19, the remaining end thereof being connected to an adjacent portion of the chute 14. 1A connecting rod 20 is engaged with end of the shaft opposite the arm 18- and i's slidf ably secured to the frame 1, the free end thereof being arranged at a point adjacent the drivers seat 21 of themachine and having a substantially right angularly' disposed handle" portion 22 formed thereon. To maintain the gate 17 in its closed position with relation to the chute 14, a latch 23 is secured to the bottom of the chute and has the" slidablc bolt thereof arranged in an opening formed in said chute while the remaining end of the same has ecume'i-tion with an operating rod 24 secured to the side of the frame 1 and extending to a point adjacent the operators seat 21 whereat it is formed" with a right angularly disposed handle portion for an obvious-purpose.

To conn ct the potato asserting imichincwith theldigging machine a substantially V} shaped yoke 26 is engaged with thenpper or rear end of theframe 1 and isreceived between the roller-s27 mounted in the looped connection 28 and provided with diverging secured to the sides of the 'assorting ma chine 15'. j

In operation, the digging machine is connejc'ted to a suitable draft-'means and is drawn over the field having the potatoes planted therein. During such movement of the machine over the field, the digging ele buckets l2carri'ed on the'endless conveyor 11 and elevated to the chute 14 from which they are discharged into the potato assorting machine 15. Should the machine be turning, it is'obvious that the chute 14 will be disalined with the potato assorting' machine l5 and therefore the passage of po tatoes from the sam'eto the asserting machine is discontinued by moving the gate 17 to tsclosed position. After the turn has been made and the chute 14 is again alined with the asserting machine, the gate 17 can be reopened. Due to'the connection between thed'i-gging and asserting machines, it will be understood that turning of the be readily permitted.

Mamfestly, the constructlonshown is ca same will pable of considerable modification and such modification asis within the scope of my claim, I considerwvithin the spirit of my invention.

I claim: I

A potato harvesting machine comprising a wheeled frame having a downwardly dis posed forward portion, digging elements arranged at the forward end of said portion, conveyor means in the frame and extending to a point in proximity to the rear portion of the frame, transversely disposed trough secured to and disposed below the bottom of the rear portion of; the frame, a secondary frame substantially upright on the rear portion of said first named frame, a conveyer DIOHHt-BCl in said secondary frame and movable into said trough, a: discharge chute 7 carried by and extending-from the upper end of the secondary frame, a normally closed gate pivoted for vertical movement in said chute for regulating the passage of potatoes thereby into-a receiving means connected to the machine, latch means extendingthrough the bottom of said chute and engageable with the adjacent marginal portionof said gate formaintainingthe same locked in closed position, and means for offecting pivotal movement of the gate and for moving said latchmeans to released po 1 sition and extended longitudinally of the frame.

In testimony ture hereto.

FREDERICK W. GRUNDEL.

whereof, I afiix my signa- 

